AAR27 - How do I decide how much to save?
Author: By Andrew Sather, Stephen Morris, and Evan Raidt | Stock Market Guide to Buying Stocks
December 9, 2025
Duration: 36:57
You can download Evan’s free monthly budgeting spreadsheet here:https://einvestingforbeginners.com/budget/
In this episode of At Any Rate, Evan Raidt breaks down the practical process of deciding how much to save, spend, and invest—using a clear, percentage-based system that works for any income.
Evan walks through the 50-30-20 rule (and how he tweaks it himself), explains why percentages matter more than dollar values, and shows how to use a real-world budget outline (grab the free sheet here). You’ll learn where to start, how to handle must-have savings like 401k matches and HSAs, and how to prioritize Roth IRAs and high-yield savings accounts with any leftover funds.
Topics Covered:
Why percentages matter more than dollar amounts
The 50-30-20 rule (and Evan’s personal tweaks)
How to find your true net income for budgeting
The power of maxing your 401k match and using an HSA
Using credit cards only as payment vehicles (not for emergencies)
Timestamps:
00:00 Intro and why this topic matters
02:00 The problem with flashy dollar amounts—percentages are what count
04:30 How to use the free budget sheet
06:00 Setting your target percentages (50-30-20 and beyond)
09:00 Calculating net income and why it matters
12:00 Breaking down “needs” and why debt payments go here
15:00 Must-have savings: 401k match, HSA, home equity
18:00 Planning for big goals (cars, houses, etc.)
20:00 Prioritizing Roth IRA and high-yield savings accounts
24:00 Tracking and adjusting your “wants”
27:00 What to do with leftover funds
29:00 Final tips: avoid regular savings accounts, use credit cards for rewards only, and keep things hands-off with index funds
31:00 Wrapping up and how to get started
Resources Mentioned:
Free budgeting spreadsheet: https://einvestingforbeginners.com/budget/
Roth IRA basics:
https://www.investopedia.com/terms/r/rothira.asp
High-yield savings accounts: https://www.nerdwallet.com/best/banking/high-yield-online-savings-accounts
Vanguard VOO ETF info:
https://investor.vanguard.com/investment-products/etfs/profile/voo
Have feedback or ideas for Evan? Comment below or email him at evan@einvestingforbeginners.com—your suggestions help shape future episodes.
Remember, financial freedom is built one smart move at a time. Keep it simple, keep it steady, and at any rate, we’ll see you next time.
Timestamps are generated by artificial intelligence, and are not 100% accurate depending on the platform used for listening.
Today’s show is sponsored by:
Go to SHOPIFY.COM/beginners to start selling with Shopify today.
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Get your free quote and see how much you could save at SelectQuote.com/beginners
Interested in how your company sponsor the show? Reach us at equity@einvestingforbeginners.com
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